Seasons of Chances and Love 3: Promised Love In Autumn
by Linnea Farhen
Summary: Oishi/OC. "Unrequited love is surely the sweetest hell on earth, especially if the person you fell in love with is someone forbidden—like your best friend…"
1. Chapter 1

**PROMISED LOVE IN AUTUMN**

**(#3 of "Seasons of Chances and Love" series—Oishi Shuichiro and Shinjou Kana's story)**

**Standard disclaimer applies. You are warned that the characters might not be in their usual selves (in other words, possible OOCness).**

**Author's Notes: **_The setting of this story is in first year high school. Momoshiro and Kaidoh aren't exactly present in this part of the story since they are still in middle school, only in their third year. Ryoma isn't present either as he was residing in America (at least he was in this story). The timeline and original anime plotline will somehow be changed in this fanfic, especially about Tezuka supposed to be going to Germany, Oishi supposedly not going to enroll in Seigaku's High School Division, and Kawamura supposedly going to quit tennis to pursue being a sushi chef. In any case, this is my story so I guess that's one of the changes that I had to do._

_Enjoy reading!_

**-x-x-**

**CHAPTER 1**

Kana was panting when she reached the main building of the high school division. Well, she has to run in order to go there since it was already raining. And mind you, it was raining hard. She should have expected this since the clouds earlier that morning began to turn dark and loomed over the sky, predicting a heavy rainfall.

And here comes that heavy rainfall.

The only problem was she didn't bring her umbrella because she forgot to bring one. So right now, she has to wait for it to stop.

_If ever this rain will stop…_ she thought before heaving a heavy sigh and then she proceeded to enter the building to shield herself from the rain. But then she thought that it was already useless since the rain got through her. She was half-wet and yet, she didn't mind. Somehow, she liked getting wet by the rain for some reasons.

When she entered the building, she saw that there were still other students who seemed to be waiting for the rain to stop. While some decided to make it through using their umbrellas. A lot of students were leaving—most of which were friends or couples sharing the same umbrella—and she wanted to watch them. She felt a little envious about them.

She wanted to do the same thing with a certain someone who was special to her. Though she wanted to, she couldn't. She couldn't tell him that or else, he would think something different if ever she said something like that to him.

Now that she thought about it, something similar happened to her before.

That's right…

It was during middle school. As she continued to traverse the path towards the classroom, her mind couldn't help remembering the timeshe almost confessed to a certain someone who was special to her named Oishi Shuichiro…

**-x-x-**

_It was a rainy afternoon and Kana was feeling a little tired—not to mention bored—as she was waiting for the rain to stop in a shed. She and her younger sister Nanami decided to spend some time at the street tennis before they start their other training back home. They played for more than 4 hours before Nanami decided to head home first. She continued to play with the other street tennis players there until she was tired._

_But just as she was about to head home, the rain fell and it fell incessantly hard. She couldn't help cursing at the rain as she ran fast towards the nearest shed. She really hated it whenever the rain get through her and made her wet._

"_Next time, I'll just play tennis at school so that the rain won't get through me," Kana mumbled as she watched the rain continue to fall. After that, she heaved a heavy and slightly exasperated sigh. 'I should've brought an umbrella with me even though it's not raining."_

"_I guess I'm not the only one the rain got through."_

_She stiffened when she heard that familiar voice enough to let her heart beat in an accelerated rate. But she tried not to show it to that person. A warm smile greeted her as soon as she turned around to face that person—who happened to be Oishi._

_She couldn't help but smile at him, too. "I guess that's what we have in common, then."_

"_What we have in common?" Oishi asked innocently._

"_The rain loved to get us wet. It's like it could figure out when to fall since we didn't bring any umbrella for us to us, even to share, at the very least." And then she chuckled a bit at that before watching the rain fall._

"_So you're saying that you want us to share an umbrella?"_

_Kana blushed slightly hard at that question that she chose to look away from him. Seriously, this guy really knew how to let her guard down for a while. And it wasn't something good for her. She couldn't let Oishi do that to her all the time._

"_T-that's not what I meant!" she responded furiously. She pouted but Oishi didn't see that, thankfully._

_As she and Oishi continued to wait for the rain to stop, something popped out in her mind as she watched the raindrops._

"_Ne, Shuichiro… can I ask you something?" she inquired after a few minutes of silence between them, eventually breaking it._

"_Sure. About what?"_

"_What do you think of the rain as it falls down? I mean, what comes into your mind whenever you watch it fall down?"_

_No one was able to say a word after that. Kana couldn't actually take the quiet and a little tensed atmosphere between them. She was about to take back her what she said when—_

"_It's how I describe love… I guess," Oishi said as he faced her with a smile._

_Inwardly, she was stunned to hear that from him, making her face him. What she didn't realized, though, was that their faces were only a few inches close since they were just sitting next to each other. Both of them blushed when they realized that and looked away at the same time. But eventually, they laughed at their actions._

"_We're acting like we're not used to being this close," he commented and sighed. "Rain made me think of how I love someone. Rain is something that comes unexpectedly even though we could predict it coming. Just like love, it comes to us unexpectedly. It's something we couldn't easily avoid—it will get you whatever circumstances you have."_

_She could only watch him in awe and eventually it was enough to make her smile because of what he said. Both of them were just second years in middle school and yet, he had this kind of perception about something as complicated as love. He could even put an analogy to it._

_But then she thought that if Oishi could think of something like this, could it be that he was already in love with someone else? It was possible given the fact that he was popular with the other girls, too. That thought caused little needles to prick her heart over and over._

_She should get used to that fact but until now, she couldn't do such a thing. It was so hard for her to do it._

"_What about you?" Oishi asked that startled her for a bit before she managed to regain her composure._

"_Huh?"_

"_What about you? What do you think of the rain every time it fall down?" he asked._

_What did she think about the rain? Besides the fact that it could nourish the earth or destroy it if it fell down too much? No… there was something else._

"_It… hides certain emotios in my heart," she uttered with hints of sadness in her voice._

_Oishi frowned deeply. "What do you mean?"_

"_Rain is a perfect camouflage to hide a certain feeling in your heart, or at least that's in my perception. Sometimes, I say to myself that I like it when it rains because no one would know how much I suffered. It hides my pain and because of that, no one could tell how much I cried. No one could tell I've been struggling to hide something from the one I like the most that I know could ruin everything we've built so far. No one could tell how much it hurts me doing all that," she answered sadly that she couldn't hide to Oishi. "Rain reminds me a lot of thing—things that I wish I could just hide forever…"_

_What she said was the truth. That was what she thought about whenever rain fell down from the dark sky._

"_Rain washes away my courage to tell you that I love you ever since I realized how to love…" she unconsciously mumbled in the softest tone possible as she watched the rain once more._

_Apparently, Oishi didn't hear what she said very well. "You were saying something, Kana?"_

_She was snapped off from her trance upon hearing his voice. She shook her head rashly and laughed a bit—albeit nervously since she realized she almost blurted out her feelings for her friend._

"_N-nothing! Nothing at all! You were probably just imagining things. You know, effect of the rain falling. Like what people say, rain stirs up our mind and emotions in more ways than one, causing us to act without thinking. Right?" she reasoned while trying not to stammer even though her heart was beating wildly upon realizing her actions._

"_Oh…" was all he said in a slightly disappointed tone that her ears still caught and made her frown. Was it her or she really sensed disappointment in his voice?_

_That was probably the reason…_

_The rain stirred up her emotions for her to think of something like that right now. But then she asked herself. _

_What if Oishi really heard what she unconsciously said? How would he answer her?_

**-x-x-**

Kana sighed heavily after remembering that before she decided to head to the classroom faster since she left something there along with her school bag. But then she froze when she felt something covered her head, followed by someone holding it. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Oishi looking at her with worried eyes.

"You really like catching a cold, huh? Why did you run right through the rain? You got yourself wet again," Oishi scolded like a mother which broke off her trance.

"S-sorry…" was all she managed to say before touching her head. She then realized that it was a towel that covered her head and Oishi was holding it in place.

"Use this to dry yourself at least a little. Before you go home, make sure you have to change your clothes. Your mom will scold you once she saw your wet uniform because of the rain." Then he proceeded to wipe her face gently before drying her hair.

Her heart began to speed up when she realized how close the two of them were. His gesture only intensified her heartbeat's tempo, causing it to beat rapidly. She already said to herself that Oishi was just concerned about her because she was his friend and nothing more. But would it be bad if she wished for something more?

Why was it that love could cause everything to change between two people?

"Kana?" Oishi called out that made her look at him.

She couldn't help gulping when she realized that they were just a few inches close. She got a closer look at his face that—in her perception—hadn't changed after all those years. He still has this childish look, especially when he was worried.

"Thank you for being nice to me, Shuichiro," she couldn't help uttering before she smiled gratefully, causing Oishi to blush and look away for a few seconds. In her perception, he looked cute that way.

"Why are you saying this like you're leaving me?"

"I didn't say that," she reasoned. "I just want to say thank you since you're still this nice to me after all those years."

Oishi smiled as he gently tapped her head. "We're friends, Kana. Of course, I'll be nice to you."

_Of course… I should've seen that answer coming…_ Friends. That was all they could ever be.

Before she broke down in front of him, she lowered her head a little and proceeded to leave. "Thanks for the towel, Shuichiro. I'll return it to you once I had it dry-cleaned." After that, she hurried to leave that place, even though she could feel Oishi staring at her as she walk away from there.

_**Unrequited love is surely the sweetest hell on earth, especially if the person you fell in love with is someone forbidden—like your best friend…**_

Now where on earth did Kana heard that quote? If she could recall it right, she actually read it from some book.

Oh yeah… on one of the romance novels she bought many years back. At first, she had to deny that since she wasn't actually feeling something close to sweet hell, as the quoted stated.

But time passed by.

Time intensified everything she felt for her best friend and to be honest, it was making her crazy.

How long?

How long would she just let things be?

One way or another, something was bound to happen that would either take things between her and Oishi to a different level or make things even worse than how it already was.

For now, she couldn't tell what. But something will definitely happen. It was only a matter of time before everything would be set in motion.

**-x-x-**

What Kana didn't know was that Oishi was looking at her with dejected and sad eyes after realizing the answer he said a while back.

"I shouldn't have said that we're just friends that's why I'm nice to you," he mumbled as he proceeded to leave the place, as well. But as he was walking through the hallway, he couldn't help but watch the rain as it falls. He smiled bitterly as he remembered Kana's words during that one rainy afternoon when they were together under that shed.

"_Rain washes away my courage to tell you that I love you ever since I realized how to love…" _

"How long are you going to let the rain do that, Kana?" he whispered before he heaved a heavy sigh. "If only I could tell you the same thing… that rain doesn't only describe love but it also conceals that feeling inside of me…"

But then, he could't find a way to let it out completely.

Would there be a time that he and Kana could tell to each other all of their feelings that they've been concealing for a long time? Would there be a time where he could finally say to her how much he loved her more than a friend?

Yeah, the whole 'lending-his-towel-because-she-was-wet' thing was probably crossing the line. But that was just one of his steps to let Kana know how he felt.

She was like the rain—his rain—that described his love and also the one who was washing away his courage to let her know all that.

If only there was a way for rain to become a medium for their feelings to reach…

He chuckled sadly after thinking that. "If only I could let the rain tell you I love you, Kana…"

But then, only fate could do something about that. How he wished it happens soon before his feelings drive him crazy.


	2. Chapter 2

**PROMISED LOVE IN AUTUMN**

**(#3 of "Seasons of Chances and Love" series—Oishi Shuichiro and Shinjou Kana's story)**

**Standard disclaimer applies. ****I only write for pleasure and fun—but a few reviews would surely pay off all my hard work on this one. ****You are warned that the characters might not be in their usual selves (in other words, possible OOCness).**

**Author's Notes: **_The setting of this story is in first year high school. Momoshiro and Kaidoh aren't exactly present in this part of the story since they are still in middle school, only in their third year. Ryoma isn't present either as he was residing in America (at least he was in this story). The timeline and original anime plotline will somehow be changed in this fanfic, especially about Tezuka supposed to be going to Germany, Oishi supposedly not going to enroll in Seigaku's High School Division, and Kawamura supposedly going to quit tennis after junior high to pursue being a sushi chef. In any case, this is my story so I guess that's just some of the changes that I had to do._

_Enjoy reading!_

**-x-x-**

**CHAPTER 2**

"I can't believe it!" Kana suddenly blurted out in the middle of tennis warm-up that the girls' tennis club had for that afternoon.

"Can't believe what?" Aika and Hanako asked in unison with hints of confusion in their voices.

Just what could have made their red haired friend blurt out something like that? And to think it was almost time for practice, too…

But the answer that first came out from the said person's mouth was a sigh—a heavy sigh. It was then followed by a pout and a look of envy on her face.

"You know, Kana, you've been acting weird ever since the Kanto Regionals. Is that what you always become whenever you're playing in Singles 3?" Hanako said.

Another sigh came out of Kana's mouth that made Aika and Hanako look at each other. "Something is definitely wrong with her."

"I just can't believe that…" Kana paused and faced her friends.

"That?"

"That two of the Five Columns of Seigaku had already found the love of their lives. Of course, it's already inevitable for Kazu-_chan_ to find hers since she returned here for the purpose of asking Tezuka-_san_'s forgiveness. Although shocking, Tezuka-_san_ turned out to be in love with her, as well—even longer than we thought. But for Miya-_chan_ to have found a love life, as well… I can't believe how it all happened. And it was so fast, too."

No one from the other two Columns spoke a word after hearing that.

Ever since their ingression as regulars in the girls' tennis team, the five freshmen (Kana, Miyako, Aika, Hanako, and Kazumi) had gained a group nickname—The Five Columns of Seigaku, courtesy of their captain Hirota Asami. Kana was dubbed as the Valkyrian Column for some reasons. Until now, the red head was trying to figure out what could possibly be the meaning of her Column name. But she knew it has nothing to do with rankings. Although she has to admit that among the Five Columns, Aika was considered to be the strongest despite not being an all-rounder like their captain. In fact, her blue-haired friend was a counterpuncher.

Anyway, that was not the case she wished to discuss for now.

For her friends Kazumi and Miyako to find the love of their lives was already something she deemed as inevitable. The circumstances had been laid down in front of them. It was just a matter of manipulation, convincing, and faith for everything to happen as it was planned. Or maybe it exceeded beyond everyone's expectations. And to be honest, Kana was glad with that.

But even if she was glad with the events, something inside of her felt like losing hope. And she was sure that Aika and Hanako could definitely relate to what she was actually feeling at that point.

The struggle of falling in love with someone who happened to be your friend—your close friend, best friend, childhood friend, family friend. Kana had been dealing with that kind of struggle for so long. Her friends knew but didn't dare try to do anything at all. Not that she was bitter about it. But Miyako and the others knew she was defenseless—or rather, her heart was immediately left defenseless—when love was the issue.

Especially if the issue was her own feelings for her childhood friend…

"I guess that's just how love works," Aika said that made Kana snap out of her musings.

The red head faced her with a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"We don't have any means of knowing whether or not love has already blossomed or at least sparked between two people. Just take Tezuka-_san_'s feelings for Kazumi-_chan_ as an example. All this time, we really thought that such stoic person had never felt something as intense as love for once in his life. We all thought he has no time to feel such emotion at all. And yet, we just found out that he only shielded his heart and isolated the rest of his emotions to the rest of the world for one reason. Tezuka-_san_ had long given his heart to only one girl. He just needed to retrieve what he had lost in the past by seeking forgiveness to the person he lost so that he can be with her again. That way, he was given the chance to at least mend what was broken and finally have her back in his life for good," Aika answered seriously, despite the small smile on her face.

Kana could only stare at her friend in awe. _I guess that's what love can do to a person's perception about everything, huh?_ But analyzing the words that Aika had spoken, she could only say that the blue-haired girl has a point.

"And now he was proudly showing that world how much he loves her," Hanako stated, but added something with a smirk. "In his own stoic ways, of course."

That did it.

The three of them burst out their laughter, but still tried their best to stiffle it as to not disturb other members who were practicing and doing warm-ups.

"But I think it's better compared to Miyako-_chan_'s relationship with Fuji-_kun_. From what I can see, she's the only person who can keep up and at the same time minimize that freaky _tensai_'s sadism."

"Well, she had been dealing with Seiichi-_kun_'s personality for years, that's why," Kana responded to Hanako's comment.

"Seiichi-_kun_?"

Kana nodded. "Yukimura Seiichi-_kun_. He's Miya-_chan_'s and my childhood friend, even though I hadn't technically lived in Kanagawa longer than Miya-_chan_. I guess that's why he's closer to Miya-_chan_."

"Jealous?" Aika teased.

She replied with a laugh. "Sort of. I mean, having a childhood friend as good-looking as that Child of God is something to be proud of. But I have no intention of bringing that up to other people, especially the other girls who ogle at him and his pictures almost all the time. Anyway, Seiichi-_kun_ and Fuji-_san_ both have their sadistic streaks in various things. Their smiles, though charming to most of the girls, are in some ways creepy. You rarely see what's real in those smiles and their charms—which work differently—are definitely enough to drive many girls crazy and to their feet. You know what I mean, right?"

The other two girls nodded.

"But I guess having Miya-_chan_ in Fuji-_san_'s life is better than not have one at all," Kana later said in a serious yet relieved tone.

"Well, Fuji-_kun_ did fight for Miyako-_chan_ despite what she did to make him stay away from her. After what they've went through, I'll be cursing fates if those two still didn't end up together," Hanako added.

_I wish I could do the same…_ Yeah, right. As if it was that easy—cursing fates, that is.

"But something tells me it's not about our friends' love lives that bothers you, Kana-_chan_. It's Oishi-_kun_ again, isn't it?"

Though she was surprised at Aika's words, she chose not to show it. Her friend managed to read her already, anyway. "I think I'm about to give up, Ai-_chan_."

"Give up? At this point. That's not like you, Kana-_chan_."

"I only thought of it, though. But to be honest, it crossed my mind a lot more than usual. Can I still wait for him? Should I tell him the truth? What about our friendship? Could I afford to it? To be honest, I'm not even sure if it's the right thing to think about," Kana said almost sadly.

"I guess Aika and I can relate to your situation," Hanako suddenly admitted that made Kana look at her two friends.

At that point, she realized something.

That's right… Hanako and Aika were also going through the same predicament as she was. Aika was secretly in love with her childhood friend/family friend Kawamura Takashi while Hanako to her childhood friend since elementary Inui Sadaharu. Both girls were strong and fearless in courts. But what it comes to the one they love, they crumble down for many reasons.

_Just like I do…_ And at that point, Oishi could really crumble down Kana's defenses long before he knew it. It was hard, but that was the truth.

She was weak… when it comes to her childhood friend who also happened to be the only man who captured her heart.

Oishi Shuichiro…

**-x-x-**

Well, her predicament was surely something that almost distracted her with her daily activities. But since she wasn't allowed to slack off at all cost, she was doing her best not to be affected entirely by the situation. One way or another, she must not show that she was, in fact, struggling at some point. Especially when Oishi was just near.

Yes, it was starting to get that hard for her and her envy for her two friends' successful and happy love lives was getting to her. Now she strongly wished that she finds the one who would love her. But… how would that happen if there was already one person who she wanted to fall in love with her?

A ring from her cellphone disrupted the flow of her thoughts. She was currently in her room at the Miyuzaki estate just three houses away from the Yumemiya estate. Yes, by estae meaning Kana was also as rich as Miyako for the sole reason that the red head's family belonged to the renowned Miyuzaki clan. Her mother was a Miyuzaki, that's why. Her father—originally named Shinjou Sasumu—took the Miyuzaki's name upon marrying her mother.

She picked up the phone and frowned at the sight of Oishi's name on the screen. Not to mention, her heart's tempo increased that she was already used to feeling. But what could have made Oishi call her at that hour?

"Hello? Miyuzaki Kana here," she started in a bland tone.

"Eh? Kana-_chan_, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. What made you ask that?" Weird. As far as she knew, she wasn't sick or anything close to that. Why would this guy ask for something like that?

"The way you greeted me. Are you perhaps sleeping already?"

"No. In fact, I can't sleep… for some reasons." And it was the truth. It was already past nine in the evening which was way past her bedtime.

"Is there something bothering you?" Oishi asked after a long pause. His voice was serious but wasn't enough to hide his concern for her. "You know I hate your habit of keeping your concerns to yourself. Tell me what's wrong."

_If only I could just do that, Shuichiro… But what will you do if I tell you that you're the one bothering me?_ Wait! That was just the wrong phrase. It was the thoughts of him which bothered her till late that night. And this was going on for such a long time already.

Was there any way for her to stop this? This feelings for her childhood friend and her first love… Could she stop this so that she wouldn't suffer at all? Loving her childhood friend had always been one hell of a torture to her, especially if she couldn't tell him the truth…

She was a coward… and that was all she would ever be.

"Kana…"

A sad smile crept on Kana's face as she sighed. "I'm alright, Shuichiro. But thanks for worrying about me, anyway. Hearing your voice like this is already enough for me to feel fine."

"Do you want me to sing a song for you? It might help you sleep," Oishi offered that made her smile gladly at that.

"I thought that was my job to you."

"You're the one who needed the sleep, so I should be the one singing. No buts or I'll head there and scold you until you get tired of listening to me and sleep soundly."

"I think I'll prefer the lullaby more than your motherly scoldings," Kana joked. This was one of those times when Oishi could really make her smile. But perhaps it would have been better is he was doing it for the one reason she strongly wished to happen.

"Make sure you're already lying on your bed before I start singing. I don't want you to sleep on your study table or wherever you are right now as you listen to me singing this song. Just bear with my voice for a while, okay? You know I'm not a good singer."

Kana complied with what he said and laid her body down on her comfortable bed. With the large teddy bear on her right side, she placed her earphone on her ears and closed her eyes while saying to Oishi on the other line, "I'm ready."

She heard him sigh on the other line; an indication that he was preparing himself to do the task. A few seconds later, he started singing.

To her amazement, he sang one of her favorite songs. In fact, it was the one she occasionally sang to him whenever he would sleep on her lap.

_**There's a star in the sky tonight**_

_**And it trembles like my heart**_

_**In this world we're all alone tonight**_

_**So close and yet so far**_

But she couldn't help wondering. Why would Oishi suddenly decide to sing that song now, of all times? Yes, it was one of her favorites but it wasn't just that. That song held another deeper meaning to her.

A meaning that even Oishi doesn't know at all.

Oishi singing that song was a good way of distracting her away from her worries, nevertheless. This time, she must enjoy this wonderful moment with the one she loves—although all she could do was to love him secretly.

_**My heart would never be**_

_**I can feel you want me too**_

_**And if that star should fall**_

_**Then baby, here's what we should do**_

No matter how her heart loudly screamed out her affection for him, it would forever be unheard of to Oishi. And now, it hurt her to no end.

But there was nothing she could do. Maybe that was all she would ever be to him.

Just a friend… nothing else…

That thought was the last thing on her mind before she dozed off and a tear feel from her closed eyes.

**-x-x-**

_**Wish, take me by the hand and wish**_

_**Hold your breath and we may find**_

_**It might come true on this starry, starry night**_

Singing a song to Kana was something that Oishi usually do whenever he could tell that something big was seriously worrying that red-haired childhood friend of his. He couldn't help feeling troubled for her because of that. After all, Kana was someone who would rather keep her worries to herself than let the others be bothered about it.

But he couldn't help thinking that… perhaps… it was him who actually bothered Kana. He smiled wryly at that. Well, that was possible considering her actions after settling the issues about Miyako and have the blonde-haired girl become Fuji's official girlfriend.

Yes, that must be it.

_**Wish, look into my eyes and wish**_

_**Reach out for the dream that's there**_

_**For me and you**_

_**And we might fall in love tonight**_

Oishi doesn't need this night—or any other night—for him to know that he was in love with his childhood friend. He already realized that a long time ago—long before that particular night came their way. And since he was a natural worrier, it was no surprise for him to think of the consequences if ever he told that hidden truth to her.

More than anything, he couldn't risk their friendship getting ruined if he did that. He couldn't afford to lose her because of that.

"Good night, Kana… I love you…" But Oishi doubted if Kana even heard the last three words he uttered. Heaviness soon filled his heart as he ended the call after singing that lullaby for her. _Will I be able to say those words to you, Kana? Will I be able to let you know how much I love you?_

Now, more than ever, how he wished that he would be able to do it—the sooner, the better.

If only he has the courage to say it to her…

_Why am I such a hopeless person?_

**-x-x-**

**Forgive me for not being able to update this story sooner even though I've been itching to give updates as soon as possible. Anyway, this is it for Chapter 2. Do you like it? Somehow, I'm losing the drive to continue this one since no one reviewed on this. Even the other story (Perfect Love In Summer), no one reviewed on it so I thought no one like the story.**

**Can you tell me what you think about it? Even about what you think with this chapter? Of course, I appreciate favorite and story alerts so much. But reviews give me inspiration and at the very least, I know that people appreciate my stories. Constructive criticisms are welcome, of course. I know I still have room for improvements and such.**

**And with that, thanks for reading! Please read and review!**


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